One Hell of a Deal on Buying Your Next Cell Phone

I’ve always had a knack for finding good deals, and I’ve never been the one to shy away from “used” equipment. My thinking behind this is that I can find an equally good product as a new one, but for the fraction of the price. Recently I purchased a certified pre-owned car, and about a year earlier I managed to score a used laptop computer for 30% less than what the same new computer was selling at the store.

In the car industry, the preferred term for “used” is “certified pre-owned.”In the computer industry the preferred term for “used” is “refurbished.” It would appear the terms pre-owned and refurbished are becoming popular in the cell phone industry as well.

Buying a refurbished cell phones can be a good option under certain conditions, while other times it’s not so wise to buy a used cell phone. You need to take into account the phone’s cost, warranty, functions, capability, and most importantly your comfort level with refurbished technology.

Here’s a few good points on buying your next refurbished cell phone.

WHAT ARE REFURBISHED PHONES?

A refurbished phone is one that has been returned to a manufacturer or repair shop, fixed if necessary, and reset to its the original factory settings. The device is reset to work equally as the same device new. A phone that is repaired by the original manufacturer might also be more reliable than one fixed by someone not as familiar with the technology. Majority of the refurbished cell phones that are purchased through it’s original providers such as T-Mobile carry a 30-day warranty, while brand new phones carry a one year warranty. Also like new cell phones , all of the refurbished phones come in the original box with all the necessary accessories and manuals.

BENEFITS OF BUYING REFURBISHED CELL PHONES

Flexibility -  If you buy a refurbished cell phone, you do not have to extend your contract and retain their seniority for getting an upgrade. It works on the same principle as buying a new cell phone which can run upwards of $700+, and opting not to enter into a 1-3 year contract with your provider.

Low Cost – Buyers can purchase a refurbished cell phone for less than half the cost of a new cell phone. and therefore allowing him or her to get the latest technology for a fraction of the regular price.

Oldie But A Goodie – In other cases, someone may choose to buy a refurbished mobile phone because the model is no longer being newly manufactured and he or she likes the design or doesn’t want to have to learn how to use a new phone again.

Green Factor – Buying a previously used phone, consumers can feel like they are doing something positive for the environment, keeping one more electronic device out of the landfill.

WHERE TO PURCHASE A REFURBISHED CELL PHONE?

Cell phone service providers often offer refurbished models on hand because of customer returns, and these companies frequently sell these models at a discount to unload their inventory.Buying a phone directly from the service provider also helps guarantee that it will work with the customer’s account and phone network. For example, T-Mobile offers more than five refurbished cell phone models. It sells them in two price levels, just like new phones. If you buy one with a two-year contract, the phone price is lower, but your monthly minutes cost more. Or you can pay for the phone up front and get a cheaper rate which is paid month-to-month with no long-term contract. All of their refurbished phones come with a 90 day warranty, are inspected by T-Mobile technicians, and like the new cell phones T-Mobile’s used cell phones are returnable within 20 days.  

WHY BUY A REFURBISHED CELL PHONE?

If you have lost or damaged your phone, another option is to buy refurbished model from the manufacturer. A few years ago while shaving I managed to get some water into BlackBerry phone. My X key became my call-end key, and the whole situation simply became a one ugly mess. The kicker to the whole situation was that I purchased by BlackBerry only three months earlier. I tried to return the phone to the manufacturer claiming a faulty device, only to get denied and buster for water damage. Eventually I sucked it up, and purchased another BlackBerry from my manufacturer for 50% less than a new BlackBerry phone. And the best part of it all was that I didn’t have to sign a new contract, and was able to continue with my existing cell phone plan. Three year’s later I’m still using the refurbished BlackBerry I purchased, and I’m proud to say that I haven’t had any hiccups over that time.

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to stop by and read this post.

If you have a different strategy for upgrading or replacing a missing phone or damaged phone, I’d love to hear about it.

Eddie